Machine for splitting soles



March 5, 1935. Q JOHNSON 1,992,952

MACHINE FOR SPLITTING SOLES Filed Sept. 14, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 lllVTtEClY':

March 5, 1935. c, E, JOHNSON MACHINE FOR SPLITTING SOLES Filed Sept. 14, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 5, 1935. c JOHNSON MACHINE FOR SPLITTING SOLES FiledSept. 14, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 \&

March 5, 1935. Q E JQHNSQN MACHINE FOR SPLITTING SOLES 4 $heets-Sheet 4 K .QM W m w 2 Filed Sept. 14, 1931 11... M J m= 7 a w J? 3 n. F

Patented Mar. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES-- PATENT other 1,992,952 MAcnINE ron .srnimNG SOLES Application September .14, .1931, ser al No.:562,6.44

12 Claims.

My invention relates to the art of making boots and shoes and particularly to the production of soles for boots and shoes, the objectof the invention being to provide an "improved machine for 5 splitting soles preparatory to their "incorporation in boots and shoes.

In making womens shoes having wood heels, particularly high wood heels 'such as full -Louis, half Louiaand the like, it has heretofore been common practice to split the heel portion of the sole longitudinally from the rear end thereof forwardly into the shank on a plane parallel with the tread side of the sole, andnearer said tread side than the top side, so as to provide athin flap to cover the breast'of theheel to which said flap is cemented.

This flap, as produced by sole splitting machines as heretofore constructed, was of uniform thickness throughout its extent, -or at least throughout its width, and also comparatively thick in order that it might have the required strength and body. Therefore, "in order to avoid unsightly and otherwise objectionable raw flapedges at the opposite sides of the breast of the heel of the completed shoe, it has heretofore been desirable to bevel the marginal "portions of the inner face of the flap along the opposite sides thereof before applying the flap to the heel. This bevelin'g operation was effected manually by means of a hand knife while maintaining the flap bent forwardly and at rest on a hard flat surface, the hand knife being used to remove skivings from the opposite side marginal portions ofithe inner face of the flap so as tobevelthesame. This manually effected skiving or beveling operation requires time in addition to that requiredfor the splitting operation which was objectionable, and also requires the services of a skilled operator which increases the cost of the operation.

My invention (provides anew sole-splitting machine having, as a distinguishing feature thereof, means for bending, or bowing, the heel or rear end portion of a sole transversely as said portion is split longitudinally by means .of the knife of the machine which, as usual, is provided with a straight cutting edge, so that by a single cutting operation; the sole is split and provided with a breast covering flap whose opposite side marginal portions are thinner than its middle or intermediate portion.

Other features of my invention are hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upper portion of a sole-splitt'ing machine constructed in (accordance with fmy'inverrtion.

Figurefz ris :aisection online 22 of Figure 1. Figure 3 isa section on.=line 3-:3 of -FigureZ. Figure MS a plan View :of the rear end portion of a sole before'rit isisplit.

Figure isa longitudinal sectional view of :the

portion of sole shown inFigure-4 after it has been split.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the rear end portion of a shoe provided with a sole having a breast-covering flap applied to the heel of the shoe. 1 1

Figure 7 is a section on line I-'7of Figure '6.

Figure '8 is a development ofthe abutment 'roll hereinafter described.

Figure 9 is another diagrammatic view illustrating the surface configuration 0f the roll on the 'line 99 of Figure 8.

Figures 10 and 11 are views illustrating the operation of i'nynew machine.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of the rear end portion of a sole after it has been 'split by my new machine. I

Figure '13 a plan view of the "portion of sole shown in Figure "12. I a

The illustrated embodiment of my invention comprises a pedestal '1 adapted to rest upon a floor and to the top of this pedestal is fastened a Carriage-4 is connected by "a link '5 with a wrist pin 6 carried by "a quadrant 'or crank-arm ,7 that is fixed in position 'upon the upper end of a vertical shaft 8journa'led in 'bearings provided on frame,section 2. "Shaft/8 is connected by gearing 9 with a horizontal shaft l0, also journaled in bearings on frame section 2 7 It is usual to provide the shaft 10 with tight and loose pulleysthat are indicated by the dot-anddash line in Figure '1 and associated withithese pulleys is a driving belt, not s'hown,,that isfcontrolled by ashipper mechanism that is operated to start and stop'the shaft 10.

Adjustably mounted, as usual, upon the top of frame section 2;between the ways 3, is awork support or table 12 having aportion of its top surface provided with fine teeth or otherwise roughened as indicated at 13 and 30 in Fig. 3.

Directly above, and close to, the work support 12 is a knife blade Miastenedbybolts 15, Figs. 1 and 2, to a cross-bar forming part of the carriage 4. Directly above the cutting edge of knife 14 This top wall.

is an abutment roll or matrix 16 fixedly mounted upon a shaft 17 journaled in boxes or bearings 18 mounted in ways provided on carriage 4 so that it can be adjusted toward and from the cutting edge of knife 14.

The boxes 18 are connected by a cross bar 19 and each box is formed at its top with a threaded hole that is occupiedby a screw 20 having an upwardly extending stem, journaled in a bearing on carriage 4. At its upper end the stem of each screw 20 is provided with a worm wheel 21 that is in mesh with a worm 22 fast'on a horizontal shaft 23 also journaled in bearings on carriage4. At one end thereof the shaft 23 is madesquare in cross section, as shown, to adapt it to receive a wrench by means of which said shaft is turned thereby to rotate the screws 20 when it is desired to adjust the abutment-roll 16 toward' andfrom the cutting edge of knife blade 14.

At one end thereof the shaft 17 carries a pinion 24 meshing witha rack 25'that is fixed to one side of frame section 2..- As;.usu:a.l in "sole-splitting machines'of this class, .treadle mechanism, not shown, is provided which when operated, causes the wrist pin 6 to make, one revolution around the axis of shaft 8 and stop, .and during this movement, it'acts through link 5 to slide carriage 4 toward the left, Fig. '1, and. then back .to-its original position again.

A sole that is to be split isplaced upon work support12 with its flesh side lowermostand with its heelend adjacent abutment roll 16. .When the sole is in proper position upon the work support 12, its forepart rests upon the roughened surface or teeth 13 with the median line of its heel part parallel with the ways 3.

After placing the sole in position upon support 12 and operating the foot treadle as described, the carriage 4 is given a reciprocatory'movement dur-. ing which the operator'holds theforepart of the sole pressed firmly against the roughened surface 13. The pitch diameterof the pinion 24 is the same as the outside diameter of roll 16 with the. result that as the carriage is reciprocated, the abutment roll engages and rolls back and forth against the top side of-the. sole without slipping or sliding thereon and,with the assistance of work support 12, maintains the sole in proper position with relation to the knife blade ,14 as the latter splits saidsole. 1,

--As shownin Fig. 4, the topmost side of the sole S is made with a transverse row of faint marks 26 to be used as a guide in positioning the sole upon the work support 12 so as to determine or fix the length of the out made by knife 14. When a sole is placed in-a position upon work support 12, this row of marks 26 is positioned directly oppositean index. markor groove 27a provided on the top side of work support 12 thereby positioning the sole on the work support 12 so that the cut made by the knife 14 willterminate when the cutting edge of said knife reaches-the point indicated by the arrow a in Fig. 3. I

It is a feature of my invention that the roll 16 is made with a relatively narrow circumferential groove 27 of a predetermined depth, Figs. 8 and 9, which communicates at its opposite ends with a relatively wide circumferential pocket or depression 28 that is of somewhat less depth than the groove 27.

The groove 27 is relatively narrow. at one end thereof and gradually increases in width towards its opposite end. v

Opposite this recessed portion of abutment roll 16, the work support 12 is made with a longitudinally disposed rib or fin 29 which co-operates with the opposite side walls of groove 27 to bow or bend the sole transversely as it is operated upon by knife 14 and while the latter is cutting through the sole to the point indicated by the arrow b in Fig. 3 .and the arrow b in Fig. 12, which point corresponds with the position of the front edge of lip 30, Fig. 6, of the heel H of the shoe to which the sole is applied.

Upon arrival of the cutting edge of the knife 14 at the'point indicated by arrows b and b, the

recess or pocket 28 comes into position opposite the sole and permits the latter to assume the flat shape illustrated in Fig. 11 while the cutting edge of the knife is traveling from point D, to point a, Fig. 3, which correspond to the points b anda, respectively, of Fig. 12.

During the cutting stroke of knife 14 the heel part of the sole S is maintained in the position relatively to roll 16 thatis indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8 because of the rotary motion imparted to roll 16. It will therefore be clear that when the cutting edge of knife 14, starting at the heel of the sole, reaches the line 10-10 of Fig. 8, the sole will be held by rib 29 and the opposite side walls of groove 27 in the bent or bowed condition illustrated in Fig. 10. y Itwill also be clear that when the cutting edge of knife 14 is opposite the pocket 28 as indicated by the line 1111.in Fig. 8, the sole will beheld in the flat condition illustrated in Fig. 11.

In Figs. 10 and ll the dot-and-dash lines :rx represent the position of the cutting edge of knife 14 with relation to roll 16, and it will therefore be clear that while the knife is cutting the sole and transversing the groove 27, the flap s, Figs. 12 and 13, is produced with its middle portion thicker than the opposite side marginal portions thereof, but after the cutting edge of the knife reaches the pocket 28, the sole is held flat so that a part of the flap 8' adjacent its junction with the shank of the sole is of uniform thickness throughout its width. I When the cutting edge of the knife reaches the junction of thegroove 27 with the pocket 28, the sole, for a short distance in advance of said cutting edge, is slightly bowed but this bowed shape progressively and somewhat abruptly diminishes beyond said junction so that as the knife edge leaves said junction, short oblique slits or cuts31, Fig. 12, are produced at opposite sides of the sole.

Upon completion of its cutting stroke the knife is immediately retracted and the split sole is removed. I

As will be clear from the above description, a breast-covering flap is produced upon the sole whose longitudinal medial portion is of greater thickness than the opposite side marginal portions thereof, The relatively thick middle portion of the flap gives to the latter sufiicient strength to withstand the endwise strains imposed uponthe flap when the latter is being stretched into position against the breast of the heel as shown in Fig. 6,'while the thin side marginal portions, even after they are trimmed to the shape of the heel, provide the flap with side edges which are of insignificant thickness as shown in Fig.7. Inactual practice the machine constructed as herein described produces a flap whose thickness longitudinally at the middle thereof tapers approximately from the point 12, Fig. 12, toward its free end as indicated by the dotted line in said figure, so that the edge of the flap at the @bottomxof theriheel H,*-Eig.6;=is not obiectionably thick. v a

.While zthe :heelrpart fair; the soles that is bowed by the: rib 29.ais sin engagement imith rollcrfit' its opposite sidesportions artezpressedzzby the latter firmly :against ithe 1- roughened -:or lz'cornugated portions 30 of ,worktrest ;.l2,r;said corrugations preferably ib'emg provided immediately :adjacent :andxat :oppositea sidesaof il'lbfi F29. inathisr .waytlthe ;hee1 portion" is rpreventedelfromislipping:on'i the LWOI'kITBSt.

Solo 5 splitting :zmachines asv :heretofo're :i-constructed have the work rest 12 YiBIGiIlgIYESUD- -portedzby: a plurality :ofispringsiinterposed"ibe- :tween said-:work rest-Land the: frameisseetionziz. ZOne 10f these cspringss-is: showman-31 ini Fig.122; It i is also zcustomaryito i'provide w screws 132; f. or "othenequivalent means ,iz-fori limiting; Ltheiupward movementvof workrrest 12212111161 the'xinfluence: of the springs fils-anchalsot for holdingithezworki rest l2;against:endwise movementirelatively;tdframe section 2. s

The relatively: thicktmedialxportionsof theffiap that. is produced by: this :machinexis thatiportion :0f the flap that is betweemthudotted flinesFSIi-zof .The practice;heretofore;ofrfirstproducingithe flapzof uniformthicknesstthroughoutiand; there- :after skiving 'its" opposite. side :cportions- :was: also consumed in making 1 hem-:andttherefore, in

order to reducethis time to :arminimum it has been the practice tozapplys the cement'to' the flap as soon, after skiv'ing, las rrpossible, wand in .most cases this "waszdone ibefore :the leather sole was dried 'withthe result:that1thez cement would: not

adhere thereto and theflaptwoiildnotwbe securely fastenedin its final position uponrthe; shoe.

1. .A machine for splitting soles ha'ving, in combination, a work support "for" holding an-unattached sole; a knife support, -a knife mounted on saidi'knife support1- andhavingan-elongated cutting edgepmeans formoving saidtwo supports relatively back -and forth to 1 cause said knife tov split the heel i portion-of the sole trans- ,versely from itsrear endforwardly'into itsshank portion, and an abutment alongsidelof the cutting edge of. said knifeysaid abutment and'said work support'being constructed and :arranged to cause the lateral'marginal portions of thehe'el end of the sole to be disposed in substantially parallel relation to the cutting'edge of-the-knife and also to cause the central=portion ofthe sole to be bent transversely of ---said" edge" duringthe sole splitting operation thereby' to produces heel- ;breast covering: fiapthaving upon-*theinner side of its breast-covering "rear;.end"rportion a narrow relatively thickqlongitudinalcribrandgformed :at each side-10f. saidrribavrith;airelativelyLthin side :margi'nal 2. portion iwhose 1 inner sand outerv faces -are isappi-oximately :parallel 'r'both longitudinally i andztransversely.

Anmachine for splitting soles having, in com- --bi-nation;' artwork: support for. holding .a normally cflatiunattached sole,- a"knif e support, a: straight ,edgedknifemounted on saidknife support, means lion relativelyzreciprocating said supports to'cause :saidl'knife tofisplitthe" heel portion of the sole :transversely from its rear endforwardly into its shank:.portion, and a rotatable abutment along- -side'of;the cuttingedge of said knife,:said.abutcment :and said work support "being constructed rand arranged ito cause the lateral margins of :the sole to be'xdisposed in substantially parallel relationrtocthe cutting edge of the knife and-also l torcausefthe central portion of the "sole to 'be bent watiarvaryingrangle transversely of 'saidedge during the solesplitting operation thereby to produce' asbreast-covering' "flap having upon the in- :ner side "of itsbreast covering rear end portion -.-a narrow relatively thick longitudinal rib of varyingarwidth and'formedat each side of'said -rib" with :a relatively thin {side marginalv portion :whoseiinner and outerfaces are'approximately :parallel: both longitudinally and transversely.

3-3.@A*machine :for splitting soles "having,'in'

s-combinatiomla 'work support made with anupstandinglongitudinal sole-bending rib, a'knife support, a straight edged knife mounted on said :knifesuppOrt; means" for reciprocating said knife support to cause said knife to split the heel por- 1'tionuof asole longitudinally, and an abutment 1 roll mounted on said knife support said roll being "formed with. a circumferential groove whose' oppositeside walls co-operate'with' said rib-to bend the sole transversely as "it-is split by saidknife thereby to produce by one operation'abreasti covering 'flap 1 Whose opposite side marginal por- 'i-tiOIlS are thinner than :the intermediate: portion lofz-saidirfiap that-is betweensaid side-marginal portions.

'4. ."Amachine for splitting soles having, in com- :bination, :a 'work support made with, an upstandingixlongitu'dinal" sole-bending 'rib, a ,knife'sup- :port, :a' straight'edged knife mounted onsaid :knife" support, means for reciprocating said knife ::support to cause: said k'nifeto'splitthe heel'por- 'ation-wof *a": sole longitudinally,:and an abutment :rollmounted on-said knife supportma-de with a circumferential groove whose opposite side walls eco operate with saidu'ib to bend'the sole transe *versely as itis splitby said knife thereby to cpro'ducetby one operation a breast-covering flap whoseopposite sidemarlginal portions are thinner 'athani the; intermediate portion" of said flap that zistbetween saidsside:inarginal portions, and said -abutmentwoll'being-alsomade with a recess that .iswiderfthan'the'sole andwith which one end of said :groove communicates.

-5.sA -machine for splitting soles, having, in :combinationQa' work: support made with an upstanding longitudinal sole-bending rib, a knife support,"arstraight edgedlk-nife mounted on said knife'supporhcmeans' for reciprocating said knife s'support torcause said knife= to split the'heel -portionrof aasole longitudinallygsan abutment roll rotatablyrzmounted on said knifesupport alongside of "the cutting edge of said knife, said roll rbeing;made'with;a oircumferentialgroove whose ropposite side walls'co-operate withsaid 1% to rbend's'the :sole-ttransverselyas: it is split'by said FkDlfE'EZIldJ means forrotating said abutment roll -tozcause .the: latterzto-iroll upon said sole as said lsnifeisupportrisrreciprocated.

6. A machine for splitting-soles having, in combination, a work support made with an upstanding longitudinal sole-bending rib, a reciprocatory knife support, a straight edged knife mountedon said knife support, means for reciprocating said knife support to cause said knife for fixing said journal boxes in adjusted position.

7. A trimming machine having, in combination, a table for supporting a sole, resilient means for supporting the table, a carrier movable in a predetermined path along the table, a knife'secured to the carrier, a matrixmounted'for movement with the carrier and also movable relatively thereto, said matrix being provided with a sole-engaging face having a recess different portions of which have different widths constructed and arranged for cooperation with the table to distort a sole positioned upon the table laterally as the carrier moves along the table thereby to cause the knife to split from the sole-a heel-breast covering flap the inner face of which is provided with a median rib, means for, moving the matrix relatively to the carrier during the splitting operation to force against the sole portions of the recess having different widths thereby varying the shape of the rib along different portions of its length, and means for moving the carrier along the table.

8. A trimming machine having, in combination,v

a table provided with a plurality of projecting members for supporting a sole, a carrier, said table and said carrier being mounted for relative movement, a knife secured to the carrier, a matrix mounted upon the carrier and having a sole-engaging portion which includes a cylindrical face mounted for movement about an axis with respect to the carrier and provided with a recess of non-uniform width, means for effecting relativetranslatory movement of the carrier and the table to cause a sole positioned uponthe table to be progressively distorted betweenthe projecting members of the table and the sole-engaging portion of the matrix and to cause the sole and the knife to be forced together while the sole is distorted thereby to split from the sole a heelbreast covering flap the innerside of which is provided. with a longitudinal'median rib, and means for positively rotating the matrix relatively to the knife during the relative movement of the carrier and the table for forcing different portions of the recess against the sole during the splitting operation thereby to vary the width of the rib. a

9. A trimming machine having, in combination, a support for a sole,'a carrier mounted for movement across the support, a knife secured to the carrier and provided with a straight cut ting edge, a matrix mounted for pivotal movementin the carrier and including a pair of cylindrical surfaces arranged in parallel relation with respect to said cutting'edge and having a,

cavity of non-uniform width interposed between said cylindrical surfaces, means for urging the support with yielding pressure toward the matrix, means for moving the carrier over the supof. uniform thickness their extent..' 7 r drical surfaces of the matrix thereby to provide a flap the inner faceof which has a convex rib of. non-uniform.widthextending lengthwise of the flap and the lateral portions of whichare throughout substantially 10.- A trimming machine having, in combination, a support for a. sole, a carrier, a matrix rotatably mounted in the carrier and provided with a pair of' cylindrical surfaces-spaced by a cavity which varies in width as it extends around the cylindrical surfaces, said support and said carrier :being mountedfor relative translatory .movement, a knife secured to the carrier and having a straight cutting edge positioned adjacent to and arranged in. parallel relation to the cylindrical surfaces, means for effecting relative movement of the support on one hand and the carrier, the matrix and the knife on the other hand to split a heel-breast covering flap from the sole, said support being constructed and arranged yieldingly to forcethe margins of the sole against the cylindrical surface and the central part of the sole into'the cavity thereby to flex the sole transversely to form a flap having a rib extending heightwise along its inner median face and having thin marginal portions which are of substantially uniform thickness, and means for positively rotating the matrix during said translatory movement to present different portions of the recess tothe; sole during the splitting operation thereby to vary the width of the rib along different lengthwise portions of the flap.

11. A trimming machine having, in combination, a table, a carrier mounted for movement across the table, a matrix roll mounted for movement with the carrier and provided with a cylindrical surface havinga recess of non-uniform width formed therein, a knife secured to the carrier and provided with a cutting edge disposed in parallel relation to the cylindrical surface, and means for moving the carrier relatively to the table to split a heel breast covering flap from'a sole positioned upon the table, said table being constructed and arranged for cooperation with the cylindrical surface of the matrix roll to maintain the marginal portions of the flap in parallel relation with respect to the cutting edge of-the knife during the splitting operation thereby to provide a flap the marginal portions of which are of uniform thickness throughout substantially their whole extent and said recess and said table being constructed and arranged to flex the central portion of the flap during the splitting operation thereby to form on the inner side of. the flap a rib which extends substantially lengthwise-of the flap, the matrix roll being mounted for movement relatively to the knife during the flap splitting operation to bring progressivelyinto engagement with the sole portions of the recess having different widths thereby varying thewidth of the rib in accordance with the shape of the recess.

12. A trimming machine having, in combination, a yielding support,.a carrier provided with guideways, means for causing-relative translatory movement'of the support and the carrier,

a pairv of bearings mounted for adustment toward in parallel relation with the cutting edge of the and away from the support along the respective guideways, a matrix mounted in the bearings, said matrix being provided with a recess and having a pair of cylindrical faces positioned at opposite sides of the recess, a knife having a cutting edge disposed in substantially parallel relation to the cylindrical faces, means for moving the carrier along the support for causing the cylindrical faces to cooperate with a portion of 10 the support to arrange the margins of the sole knife and for causing the recess to cooperate with another portion of the support for bending a median portion of the sole with respect to the cutting edge as the sole is fed progressively against the knife, and means for adjusting the bearings toward and away from the support properly to aline the matrix with respect to the support.

CHARLES EDWARD JOHNSON. 

